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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 1891-11-27, Page 64. BELEN'S LOVERS. Ah, Betsey, don't we often, you and 1, ease a strong ship sail down the bay one morning, cried poor Mies Elizabeth, point- 1ng with a tragic gesture to the seas '*and' a a few hours later, alas„ where is_she YA wreck, a wreck 1 • Because we can't see the sunken rock upon which she founders, does that lave ben.? Oh, dear, dear, I am so anxious 1" " If ou go on like this, ma'am, fitting Miss Helen into parables like the parson, yew will upset yourself,. will indeed. e youngladywill be here in a'minuteand you'll be too ill to see her, through runnin g •down hill to meet misfortune. Wipe zeil past, a acorn a day, and come home, too, most times, and overfill the public houses, more shame to their crew." These words "running down hill to meet misfortune" suggested an action to the hearer by which she could lessen her Fetch gloves -Betsey," lshe commanded, ce shawl and gauulet th a sudden determination. "I will go down . into Noelcombe and you shall accompany me. I will see the omnibus conductor he promised me to inquire for the poor girl at the station, he undertook to ibok after her, otherwise Ihould have gone to'meet her myself—as I ought to have done as I ought to have done." ' " It would have been better, ma'am, than tying up them carnation blossoms as if Providence was mistaken in making them top-heavy.' • " I wished Miss Helen to see the garden at its best," said the poor.gardener sadly. " Young ladies don't look very particular at. flowers, ma'am. 'Tisn't in a garden they take interest. Fine clothes, not line flowers, are their delight ; of young gentlemen, not ,carnations, they take notice " Presently the mistress and maid—the former, dispirited and drooping; the latter, erect Hyl energetic—were to be seen hurry- ing down the steep, descending street into the village of Noelcombe together. Half an hour later a carrier's cart drew up outside the garden door of Carnation Cot- tage. The carrier, who had been walking beside his horse up the hill, addressed some •one who was seated on a bench among a mountain of parcels and boxes beneath. the :arched awning. " This yur be the place, mum, if yer plaze to get out. It's a awkwardish con- •gern is a carrier's cart for a young lady to ride in, but it saved 'ee the 'worke how- :somever ; and a long worke it be from up :station down to Noelcumbe." " Yes, indeed, and I am so much obliged to • you," answered a graciousvoice, most gratefully, and Helen, emerging from the =shadow of the awning, climbed down by aid of the shaft, upon the road. " Your •cart is verystconifortable, I am glad•Lmissed the omnibus now ; I couldn't have seen the •°country half so well from it." " No, mum, I sim as how yu couldn't. 'Tain't much to see, however. 'Tomas a bit of luck my meeting of 'ee and thinking to ask -'ee if you'd have a " So it was ; thank you very much indeed. have brought you ._out-of_your way, too; I am afraid." "Lor' bless 'ee, 'mum, dorn'.t you spake of it. Poppet and ine dorn't count an extra moile or to ; it's all in the day's job.", But Helen -would not allow him to pooh - }pooh his civility ; she was most thankful to him,and with reason. His ready West- •country courtesy had not only saved her a walk of deadly length and dreariness,but had restored her self-assurance. She had ,not .been compelled to resort to the weak 'revenge of the foolish ; she had not cut off her nose to spite her face after all. She had certainly been 'born' under a lucky star. If . a misfortune. seemed to threaten her, a lucky chance, intervening, averteddit. • She was elate with self-con- gratulation when a sudden memoryof her moneyless and watchless condition struck her, I, and, slightly sobered by the recollec- tion, she bade the carrier "good -night," and entered her aunt's domain. The twilight had turned to dusk, and the moon, " like a rick on •fire," was rising over the sea before the elder Maze returned. Too agitated to speak, she leaned on Betsey's stiffly -crooked arm, with her eyes cast on the ground, a thousand fears .overwhelmed her. The slugs, tempted forth by the falling dewmight feast un- disturbed for once in their lives ; she was too preoccupied to remember them. Even Betsey was perturbed; her rugged face was solemn, and she gave quite as high a jump, and gasped quite as fast and breathlessly as did her mistress when a girl's head was thrust through the open spare room window .and a lively voice cried— " Oh, here you- are, at last 1 I am un- packing, I will come down." And the next moment Helen herself came out of the porch door to meet them. " My dear, my dear, 'how you have fright. 'eaed me ! What happened ? ..Where have you been ? There, take me.indoors, Helen, I am trembling sadly, I should like to rest." " I am s0 dreadfully' sorry, Auht Eliza- beth ; but really, upon my word, it was,not my own fault." " Kiss me, my love ; now that yon are here, I mind nothing. Only that conductor increased my alarm. I know so little about girls ; they aro odd nowadays, quite changed sincbut, ethen, Betsey every believes anything, you know." Then Helen, her aunt and Betsey hanging on her words and asking many questions, gave a detailed account of the clay's occur- rences. She omitted all mention of Mr. Jones' name, however, and slurred over the explanations of how she lost the omnibus. " And you came here in the carrier's cart —how extremely uncomfortable you must have been." " It was rather jolty down the hills, Aunt Elizabeth." ' Aunt Elizabeth and she were having supper. Betsy hovered about them, joining every now and -then uninvited in the con- versation. " The carrier is a civil man ; he admired my wallflowers so much in the spring—a dark variety; Helen, and particularly sweet - scented ; would your father care for some seedlings, do you think ?" " He would love them, auntie ; so should I.' " I am still thinking of the carrier, I1elen.; he and Mr. .tones art, pin very is all vett unlike. it rs ►r,traor•linery that, such an +.she is as m intelligent person as the conductor could ! His sista have ireen.so mistaken." and knitted " Here Betsy made some remark about' " She is Ananiae in an impressive aside. are devoted to her and so is papa. That Choses that a might be ashamed " What mistake did the conductor make, have asked us all there on the 29th. Didn't those supreme, manifest, but Auntie Y What did he say about me Y" elle tell you ? ]Iaar't she a ,.. .,cu•-?" efforts of hers te WADI, really, 1 can't quite remember, `"'-" She said something about poo at their The conversat• n betty a til he my love. You eec I was in the stable -yard place, and a golf or tennis week—I forgot the young man m nopolizedte 1 the Mermaid Hotel—such a confusing which, It made me hot t4 thick of .such.. •and •to which his mother re p lied spot,fm' i tehorseawere loose• and so close 'violentexerise, ad Isaid so,aptb me. Though they were q;uie.t at the . "You are too spoiled, Bertie," said An-` omelengthannd d Ure he s timead'looking hot and) exhausted, poor astasia, shrugging her shoulders, "you, During the ensuing afternoon, things, it does not do to trut to appearance really are. You are getting disagreeable, • Mitford and -her--. kept my eye onhhem." • At thatmoment thechorus of"Killaloo"— cool, flower-sentd little drew,"But wkxat ws the mitae ?" Helen re- , na fat seated, " Dear Helen is so determined," "We leen to sing it aisy, that song the &Mar Carnation cottage, the snood of Mrs., Mitford was in the. habit of saying, Too long, ivousylong, the Continent, we learnt windowthe n at nd woitinkledngleds through " she has such force of character." atliilialoo, gledso.har-mons -"Never mind,love, never mind. It was rung out through the room. the jubilant song of the canary a mistake, so I will not repeat what might " Pretty thing that !" growled the youngElizabeth—who was dozing in an be an annoyance to you. I make a point of man—re just r _ ' <_� with her cap atrayit g, as ee i ts foi'gei,ting anything unpld'asing. Those kind Lucy. Sort. of thin , one every get sick or of her left column of curls, and h of people do not mean any harm, not at all ; —grows on you—just suits a i ht like brown ,hands clasped on her roun but they are not discerning." this.' g neither stirred nor sighed. These remark' wor not likely to arrest 1Ie pointed through the open window t Helen, who was arranging so .Helen's cur twinywhere the moon its pathway across out roses in a basket as she hu "" Tsh7�o�u�ld like to near what he said." the dark heavin s traced yp, '''y favorite, "A man who would w 9ry3A'a.r :�* si.� s J► y „e...a ate,;. t, -•,. ri dash., syi , "+,. ^r�'nszbi etegnu,, '� ke ersid'�' '' ea �.a+uaur.,�art r." stYi all sieedi ; ` ialli- okere ; iPdfiarn on guard upon eitheriilt'ofi�`�ii, satyr ` tough she formed her own opinions and side of the loft chasm in which twinkled the,roes the lawn ; so, roses in hand, preserved them, yet she was always ready lights of the village. , and twitched the offending cap int to comply with the wishes of her compan- Anastasia did not look at the view, but visitorsview . an She had presumin ed here s ions, she looked keenly at her brother.. " He didn't say much, Helen." "Did Troubadour win the Norchester her occupation when Julia,r awe From behind them came some indignant stakes ?" she inquired with a rent ireele- stateliness of a powdered footman and isolated words, of whaeh " Shameful"' 'venue. pp•4 by theedtheunwonted sight of a ge —" Sir Adolphus, indeed"—" grinding the "Walk over," laconically, caller, opened the door timidly, poor"—" an eld-clothes man"—" ought to " Then what's the matter, Bertie ? When hushed tones announced— know better" respected herself"—" not you are crusty something quite extraordin- Lady Jones and Mr. Jones 1" a word of truth"—were distinguishable, ary must have happened. ' Then followed some Elizabethembarassing m Why did you go , to see the omnibus " I'm all right, my dear ; there is noth- duringd which Miss Ldwoke conductor, auntie ?" ing earthly the matter with me. I su ose bewildered condition ;Lady Joo ex " I had asked him to look out for you at a fellow needn't make a fool of. himself un- and unintelligibly endeavored to exp the station. I had given him a shilling, less it is agreeable to him. LadyLuc xs object of her call, stared Helen out and he had promised to see after you. When everything that is correct,but she y',. t Hance and broke the foreleg of the ,ou did not arrive, we went down. to the g,— can't e upon the edge of which she ha g Sint— Mermaid, where the omnibus stops, to in- herself• on her entry. quire for you. The conductor, doubtless to HHer voice was soft and low, Strangely enough the 'usually co screen his own carelessness, had the ef- • A Except kind in se begof an to siou kg w' Helen had momentarily it, t her self frontery to tell me that you had started for And then it was a fearful thing.' " sion, but soon regaining it, she foun Noelcombe in young Mr. Jones's dog -cart " Lady Lucy sings beautifully," his sister out wiib her disclosures, eandaau tai jones another and a with that gentlemen. Yes, my dear, he said, rather stiffly. " Good-by,�Ber•tie. Yoti : conversation until her aunt finally e even said that Mr. Jone's valet told him not are such dull company, I'm off." to wait, as his master was taking every She had not gone more than two or three placidtand tranquil self. he. land of • los and beta care of you and would see you home. 1 steps when he called her back. questioned him, for I could not believe it. Anastasia returned o no one ever dreamed seeing you, Lady Jones,ince I that for The conductor was both wrong and foolish of disputing Mr. Jones' wishes; but she was moment, I hardly knew you," she to invent so impossible a tale to screen impatient at his demands on her time. With gized. " It seemed so stupid, but u his fault:" half -a -dozen young men within hail, the best natel I left While Miss Mitford was speaking Helen of brothers would seem a dull companion ; seat below the magr magnolia, and without blushed, and her gray eyes sparkled, but this grim, uncomplaisant brother was an I am nearly blind, I am indeed." with mischief, not malice. She did not unmitigated bore. " execrate the inventor of the calumny, but " What do /you want ?" b My eyes fail mo, too, Miss Mitfor she laughed and turned the subject.edto I m. sorry to say I don't wear spec "Don't faint, Aunt Elizabeth, but I slowly ; he was star ng hard at} his foo—he t,as girls ke but tprefer, thoughhese they falls from m want some more lobster ; I was never so though its appearance at the end of hie as often as I place them there." m hungry in my life. trousers was an interestingnovelty---" t yeur—sahem— After supper the aunt and niece settled wanted to hear how many pople ryrcom--. glasses are suspended e a froom your neck down for that underrated feminine delight, ing to this ball, • and who they /are; • and chain, which is very convenient • my s a long talk. Helen was good company : what sortof entertainment it's likely to be." cles frequently get mislaid. Itielin she had plenty to say, and when she This was an engrossing and a sensible ble," with a gentle sigh, " to attach sp listened she was a good listener. topic, into which Anastasia could enter. cles." Her aunt had a hobby—our neighbor's " Every one •is. coming," she answered, Mr. Jones to do him justice, wa hobbies are apt to weary us, but Helen had confidentially.• " We have been so lucky—' inherited the family flower -love, so she was hardly one refusal, All the right peoplin was in the habit of'payinghe daas fternoon sympathetic with this horticultural enthu. the .house." She ran through a string of with his mother, and appeared qui srasm. She discussed the .subject of seed- noble naives glibly, and in rather a raised home on the tiny chair in the corner, w Bogs and cuttings, of annuals and peren- voice ; it is curious that such names should he had retreated on his arrival, and and nials, of bedding and.sowing, of grafting require emphasizing. a" It ought to go off whence, • for' the first few mom anred, budding, without being * palpably well. There are plenty of men, if they will watched the scene in silence. ®nom only do their duty as well in the baht room As soon.as .-the elder ladies were " I have not enjoyed an .evening, so -much •as they are sure to-do in the' supper -room:" engaged in conversation Helen for years," she told the girl as they mounted Mr. Jones was still staring et his foot, his spoke to this unassertive guest; thou turned the stairs or} their way to bed ; " it was interest in which had developed ' into was conscious that his eye rested more very good of you to come to me at fast, anxiety ; for he twisted it about and craned sistently upon her than was' quite love, though T am "afraid you will .find it his neck to enable him to catch sight of the accordance with good manners, she dull with only an old woman for your com- sole of his shy,. panion. You bring brightness with you, . so " Have you asked any of the other app oveder p her, a soiled, resentd to weary,t and 'tra I hope yofl will be content. here, though the people ?" he inquired, indifferently. staixfed, as she had appeared the prey life I lead will,seem.monoonous and uiet "Whom do you mean ?" I know." o ' " day, it was net.probable that his admire "I thought Noelcombe was raging with them Why, the'-- the — what•do-you-call would lessen on the second sight of the g dissipation, auntie, ever since it had en- doctor, and. the?—the llawyer and ters. The e parson old cnd the lad es, mended her for some manners as much reason golfed the great Sir Adolphus." don't you knew ?as she �� The people one only sees improved „her .appearance. Yesterday "Well, my dear, I hear the Newton is in church. always filled with guests, and I believe that Miss Anastasia said, "Good gracious, nowhad f sheied her was gracious, self-possessed the Jones' entertainments are continual, but. no 1" and laughed. q�czcclae, constrained, s they do not invite me to partake' in them. there was someth Then Bertie, •still occupied with the for- in smihergceremonious' although civility which balk However, my friends at the Priory, the oration of his foot, spoke more briskly than his endeavors to arrive at that easy, h Majoribanks, are bidden to the ball there he had hitherto done. . next week, and have already offered to take. "It is a•great mistake to make enemies," usually ly adopted with thoseof 1fortunatei g you with, their party." he began, as though he was delivering a towhom ho took a liking,, yet he was g " I shan't go, though," Helen said, with a lecture and was . a little pressed for time ; inclined. to quarrel • with her demeano mighty yawn "those sort of impossible " the greatest mistake in the world, Anas- after all it was a change, and variety is people don't amuse me. I suppose every- tasia. We ought to ask everybody body who goes to their house' goes either to olrgdit to make a point. of askin verbod a freshina laugh at them or for what they.can get." There is no end of room in this -'house ; a herre to the balld , andfor thepsawono reason ti Helen's tone was not dulcet ; Miss Mit. dozen more people won't crowd us out, and concealing his purpose, so he immediate ford was surprised at it. •if I'm to stand for this side of the county approached the subject. " I know very little about them, my dear. at:the neat election it won't do to risk They sit near me in church—such rows of unpopularity and that sort of thing by want said, and then urged brought accept titin servants and such werysmart young ladies ; of civility. People like to be asked, ..and it • tation. they titter a good deal, which is not seemly ; ought to be done. I 'feel very strongly Her smiling indifference to the who but I heal` that Lady Jones is extremely about it myself --I always have done so. 1 question was rather astonishing to o kind to the poor. Their mansion is very should like to know why they shouldn't be whose desire, opinion or rernark usual red and much decorated ; Sir Adolphus, asked, and come, too ! Surely there are received the undivided attention of th people say, was his own architect. You plenty of old• ladies in Noelcombe ? Poor honored lady to whom it was divulged. Dan see the 'lights from the window • of this old souls !—a ball would cheer them up a " You don't care for dancing ?" roomerover in that direction—a little bit. You • needn't laugh. I don't want hazarded. "Perhaps you don't go to balls h farther to the left—below the clump of them to dance.—1 don't mean that—but the " I was at a ball last week," she replie trees, love—you are looking at the wrong looking on and all the rest of it. I'in not " I am very fond of dancing;" spot. Good night."chaffing, An ; I want some more invitations " Perhaps you have had too much of it CHAPTER V. sent out." • One gets sick of anything. " O saw ye bonnie Les),y Anastasia looked perplexed, and spoke Sho smiled at him without a,nswering— Ar� she gacd o'er to border? coldly—" Thanks• for indulging me with , provoking Smile because it was ambiguous osprane, like Alexander, •your Maiden speech, Bertie—not very He thought those gray To spread her conquest farther." �+� elegant, but emphatic. So you tivill sup- which she looked straight into hisof , war wit Bvrrxs• port women's rights, and old women's rights very clear and cold, but wondt,rfully pretty Dinner was over --an excellent-cdinner it ? had been, such,as leaves those who have in Particular Most benevolent of you !" he'thought she looked like a rose }recself y been happy enough" I want those invitations sent out;'' her her• ink cotton gown arid !ler. hands fills to discuss it in the best brother repeated. of humors. Zf the wit was weak among the He did not often exert himself.to express own with Gist cloth h of he thought golgh I he should like to party at Newton, the laughter was strong, a wish, but when he did so his family knew toyed half-absentl while and there was• plenty of it, and the music of that, come what might, that wish would wished she would bel hiss with which she laughter is pleasant to hear in a world Y she talked. He where it does not always overbound. eventually be fulfilled. and more responsive. s unapproachable A roup of men and girls were gatheredThen you had better speak to mother. "Perhaps," he began again, si.ill search - round ' the is She is always eager to gather in from the ing for a cause for her rtfcisal, ou don't P , which, with -an accom- hedges and highways, Na doubt she will cafe for a•hall G paniment of , banjo, .bones and vigorous be charmed to send every tradesman in the hood ? Do strain ?" • togces,' was degrading its.ineliifiuoub tones village a card." out of •aur own'rc;ghboi._ byo ccs,.leading the popular strains i that ctrri- gars —1e 1 like This last whim of Bertie's was pre- therefore aecliauge of f:i e,ilke change, and nus tune " Kil aloe." posteroits, and the indulgence of it likelyto " , Apart from the group at the piano, upon then why,' do edl the ledge of an open window, Helen's recent provehough athate magic word oliticsto •his el (which come to us o. y' gg y' "won't you acquaintance;- Mr. Albert Jones, was seated "surprises in himself ") could be mde to politeness that was artificial, he knew, • talking, with rather a listless and conde- account for the presence of any social which annoyed him, with that Ir mrmnl air o Anast ng air, to his youngest sister, curiosities at the party,yet their entertain-, accept your kind invitation." • and Anastasia. am unable to Dor3't grumble, I3ertie, come and sin merit—an uncongenial task—would devolve "I am most unlucky," he returned, with she was saying ; " or, if you won't g," upon the ladies of the house.. a smile, "you will accept nothing of mine— she smoky—do something, sing, go Anastasia was annoyed, and when' she not even a lift in my dog -cart." I saw Lady was displeased•she had a knack of making It was Lucy looking over here just now ; it's herself peculiarly - disagreeable to her their prior a ce quaintance,}Dad tsheablushedta rather uncivil of you note to talk to her. neighbors, but it was impolitic to quarrel Little when he did so, though she answered You have been so stupid all the evening ; with her brother, so she contented herself with that calm .savoir iii you bored her to death at dinner, 1 saw her by turning down the corners of her mouth, which seemed to Lace hera yawning:,Aire and self-reliance shrugging her wide shoulders, and, leaving tante ofFand reversed their former position, "' That polished horde, formed,, of two him to occupy mighty tribes, the Bores and Bored,' " he his window -seat, alone, to his dined vantage. mighty iatom comprehensive glancefie, however, did not rgemain where sh© at 'the musicians, and then round the room. himselftb him, side of crossing hish ihother, seated with 'sho�said,tdemnrrlyl,ou were a stranger to me," " My dear An, I can't tune myself up to whom h© conversed for some time. Lady drive ' his aami, " Lady Lamy t,v .Innma still conversed nor ky ,clic' i11.e' in i e cabman a stinger, blit you concert pit in heat like this. T:arT all rr hr. tin 11; T. , I ,iiiY•li icniiu\ ig eretiug ;' unquenrlredphy the porn M her riches the " d You a cabmen."ipayti ild as buttermilk.", dove of her so, her handsome, charming " You cno pay rr�c, if you like." r looked at him rathel• anxiously, • son, who treated her with a g I had would have her eyebrows. 1 Hess and a courteous consideration o suclid�us wrnrlil hatalzen putnI,hc, fatdcwne inhrelrsnces." 1 a perfectly charming, I3ertie ; Iwe had strangled the dawning shadow of a 808- `c You were very kind," � with a ami,- a of her, and unsuccessful t. m, of which ion's,shares with "nods. a," was of following fruit. when Miss ated,in the g -room at a ring at the open ousl-y with that Miss arm -chair Wvut, over er plump ded knees me freshly- Mmed her 0o a ,fair, a Mall; she rose o place in shape of ong and d by the and ex- ntiernan and in oments, up in a ervously lain the of coun- dainty d placed mposed -posses- d Lady ped her ned the merged ore her sure of e first apolo- nfortu- garden them d, but tacles, h my y nose your by a pecta- possi- ecta- s he - h he .calls to at here from , he fairly and It she per - in nu had vel - ions tion irl, had had he hand kd ail - he iris not r re - ng for ly he vi- le ne ly at e c1, a h e n d chievous twinkle in her eyes, " to propose drivin4 me, box yga a ,hhxdly. wept p tcttrespaaa upon your, goodness by accepting your offer," " It was .. St wee. a .trespassing," he. re,. turned, answering the twinkle with .a laugh, " the Dart was there and 'the empty seat ready fpr you. :Upon my word, I was miserable the whole evenipg at the thought of your walking home ; I couldn't forst it, but it was your own fault." A very steady and expressive glance from his companion disconcerted the speaker. -dIf it wasn't your own fault I don't know who was to blame," he added, with some defiance. " When I was +hal#-way home I nearly turned back to try ry luck again with you, but, remembering your face as I had last seen it, I thought it wiser not to try." . • " Had von come you would have been too late to find me for I soon met with a—a— ,.C,�,`1"�.fl;�R'1,'�.�.,�im�.%ldlJudretT�rt�4'a�l1r1a4ID�`�..�w.w�-:�+:.�r�,�..�.:u.,,�,•:vw 7 1NV of really ? You don't mean it, I thought all the cabs and carts were well on their way back before you left the station." " You had forgotten the carrier's cart." ° He laughed, the were sailing unplea• cantly near the wind,. he trent. _ebange..te- subject. " So you came in the guiseesf a parcel, what a fortunate career ! I am glad you were spared the walk, though I am inclined to think you deserved to suffer for refusing my escort," then, with a sudden, happy thought, "You peas tloughpretty country on the way here, don't u•?" " Exceedingly,',' with r direappointing lack of exthusiasm. O " You do not knew, die Rivers Meet Vale near here ?" " No, but I heard of it." " You must see it." " Yes, I should like to go there." " It's'a perfect bit of scenery. It beats anything I ever saw in any country, and •1 have done a tiresome bit of knocking about in thv life. The rivers come in contact in a narrow valley between a brace of granite tors ; there is such a tumult over the meeting of the waters that you can hear the splashing and the roar half a mile off. Bowlders from the cliff, have rolled down into the bed of the river,' and the water lashes at them all day long and sends up clouds of spray which' keep the air cool even on the hottest summer morning. The Osmunda Regalia grows eight feet high on the banks ; iniand you get a view over the moor, and seaward you can see right away 'beyond Morte Point." ' . " How beautiful." " Indeed, it is •beauti ul ! ' Scenery was a stimtilating and stirring topic; Mr. Jones felt that hitherto he had not fully appreciated the beauties of North Devon, "'The morning after the ball we are going to drive upthere for a.blow," he continued. " We are all going, a Largish party, we shall take lunch and makea day of it. It's rather a difficult place to get at, the roads are ex- ecrable: You will come with us, won't you ? Yon would love the Vale and • my mother would be so pleased to bay.e.you."• Helen's eyes had sunk to the roses on her knee,• she hesitated and he eagerly pressed his advantage. "I will get the carrier's cart if that is the only conveyance you fancy, and if I mayn't drive you, at least I may walk at the horse's head and crack the whip occasionally.'''.,_. " May,I leave it open ?" " No," he said, boldly, " that is just what you may not do. I hate uncertainty worse than misfortune. . If you will come it will be very kind of you ; if you won't I will up my mind 'to bear the disap- pointment.' " It must depend upon my aunt," with an accession of dignity that the young man did not seem to remark. " 1 thouglit,it depended on. you," he said frankly, " If it depends on her it is easily arranged," and; forthwith, he rose from his chair, .quitted his nonplussed companion, and, turning his shoulder upon her, ad- dressed Miss Elizabeth. He had hardly finished his petition for permission for Helen to join their Rivers Meet picnic before it. was gratefully accorded. ' " Whose picnic is it, Albert,-" asked Lady Jones, rising as she spoke preparatory to taking leave. "' T hadn't heard a word of it. Dear me, I fancy you must have made av mistake for I do not think we are in- vited." " It's all right, mother," he ' replied, camly. "The girls are' going and all the people in the house. 1t. is our own picnic, but its rather premature to talk of it, for the weather's so uncommonly unsettled down here in the West." When the visitors had gone the elder Mss Mitford waxed eloquent over. their charms and flooded bar discourse with their praises. " Such genial and friendly people, love ; the young man so handsome and so easy. If poor Lady Jones is not quite •what we are accaretstomed to in concealled by polish, od nat r her deficienciesla sadly itulcind about them. Je ousy, love,' is at the root of all unxk''ilggness, Between ourselves, Helen, I think that nice. young man has taken a fancy to you. You 'have no idea how he stared when you,were bidding his mamma good-bye; it was almost uncivil; but then he has such handsome 0705." " Ile is very'self-satisfied and conceited,'' said the younger ledy with cold delibera- tion. en len. From you manner and ageneral airstonish s Il quite thought—well, well, I really couldn't tell you what I did think—old maids are fanci- ful." " I wonder if theyare as fanciful as young ones;" thought the girl, dipping her sweet face clown in the basket of roses before her and smiling rather grimly. (To be continues. efoodheerCw sudden i 4gantCe. Returned tourist—Is Mr. (aoodheart still paying attentions to your daughter ? `` Indeed ho isn't paying hell tion at all." " lndeedl ? 'Did he ,jilt, her ?" "No. Ho rrrarriod her," )•,allies, if you are suffering from any of the ailments peculiar to.yorr.ssx gyve Dr. Williams' fink l'rils a 11 ail. They will. not fail you. Sold by all �lealer�;. French electrisiens f incl that the best ccumulator plates are grade of an alloy omposcd of 0.15 parts of lead, '22 parts of ntimony, and 13 parts of mercury, any attcn • 1 •